The Voice (Luke Hemmings)

22. Performances

I woke up by my alarm. Bleeding Out by Imagine Dragons was blaring through the speakers. Oh, the irony. Because I'm on my period and all. Don't worry, I won't go into detail. I walked through my room and smiled when I saw my brand new electric guitar sitting in a corner, with the amplifier next to it. I bought it a couple days ago, so Anna and I could practise for the performance, which was today. We were gonna sing Still Counting the Days by Goldfinger and it sounded really cool. We practised at Anna's house because it isn't that easy to bring her drums to my house.... So yea. We've been jamming in her garage. It was really cool. As for the boys... They don't want to say which song they're gonna sing. So we weren't gonna tell them either. And Luke... Ugh. After the boys practised 2 times together they all liked Luke and asked him to sit with us. Like... ?! ?!?!?!??!! Why? So yea. The last couple of days he's been sitting at our table. And even Anna liked him. Ugh. I decided to wear a Goldfinger shirt, because why not, and black jeans with holes in them. I grabbed my red Vans and put them on. After that I put some makeup on and quickly combed my hair before walking downstairs, only to see Anna eating her second breakfast here again.

"Yo, can I have a piece of gum? My breath stinks." Anna said while we were walking towards music class. I narrowed my eyes. "Prove it." She said. He breathed in my face in a very dramatic way and my face turned into one of disgust. "Gosh, it smells like something's dying in there." I joked and gave her a piece. Immediately Ashton, Calum and Michael stood next to me, begging for a piece also. I rolled my eyes and gave them one too. Luke stood behind them, avoiding my gaze. He better. It was a habit to look at his shirt everyday, curious which band shirt he was wearing now. I tried to stay calm when I saw his shirt. It was a Goldfinger shirt. Just like mine. It wasn't the same, but it was from the same album. I shook my head and put my packet of gum back in my backpack. My hands felt clammy when I opened the door of music class. I tried to calm myself while I got my guitar out of it's case. Luke, Calum and Michael did the same. So Luke was going to play too.... Hm. I really wanted to know which song they were going to sing. I looked at the stage and saw 4 amplifiers there. Good. While I was tuning my guitar, just to be sure, Mr. Brown walked in. "Good! I see that you're all prepared?" He asked, and nobody answered. Like always. "Okay. I have the order of the groups here... First up is Amelia's group."

~

"Okay, Skyler and Anna, your turn." He said. Anna and I stood up and high-fived. We walked up the stage and I plugged my guitar into the amplifier. I turned the knobs on the amplifier to change the sound a bit and Anna sat behind the drums already. I walked to the middle microphone and set it a few meters back, so I stood next to Anna. She nodded at me and I nodded back. She began counting down with her drum sticks and I began playing. I looked at the boys and saw that Luke was looking at us with a bright smile. He pointed at his shirt and mouthed 'Goldfinger' and I nodded with a small smile.

So here I go and there you went...again
Just another stupid thing that I done wrong.
Locked up in my head, knocked down, beaten, left for dead
With all those brilliant things I should have said.

I gotta get away, and find something to do
'Cause everything I hear, everything I see, reminds me of you.

Still counting the days I've been without you 1, 2, 3, 4...
Still counting the days that you've been gone.

Day one, was no fun.
Day two, I hated you.
By day three I wish you'd come right back to me.

Day four, five and six, well I guess you just don't give a shit.
Day seven, this is hell. this is hell.

I gotta get away, and find something to do.
But everything I hear, everything I see, reminds me of you.

Still counting the days I've been without you 1, 2, 3, 4...
Still counting the days that you've been gone.

Still counting the days since you left me. 1,2,3,4...
Still counting the days since you've been gone.

A thousand things I wanna say to you, but it's too late now.
A thousand things I wanna say...
A thousand things I wanna say to you, but it's too late now.
A thousand things I wanna say...

Still counting the days I've been without you.
Still counting the days that you've been gone.

Still counting the days I've been without you 1, 2, 3, 4...

Still counting the days that you've been gone.

Still counting the days since you left me 1, 2, 3, 4...
Still counting the days that you've been gone.

I let the sound of my guitar fade away and only the boys clapped and cheered. The rest of the class looked at us uncertain. I never got that. Why they only listen top-30 music. I smiled brightly and high-fived Anna. We walked off stage again after I unplugged my guitar and sat next to the boys. I sat next to Luke. "That was awesome." He said. "Thanks." I only said and sat back in my seat. "That was... Different than I expected." Mr. Brown said with a pointed look to me. What? He thought I was going to play piano? Phhhggtt nope. I shrugged and he walked to his desk. "Next up is... Jason and his group." He said.

"And the last group, Ashton's." Mr. Brown said. The boys stood up and walked towards the stage, guitars and bass in hand. Ashton sat behind the drums while Michael and Luke plugged their guitars into the amplifier and Calum plugged his bass. After that they walked towards the front of the stage, to the three mic's. Michael on the left, Luke in the middle, and Calum on the right. I just wanted to make a photo, this seemed so... Right. I don't know how to explain it. Ashton counted down with his drumsticks and the intro began. I found myself smiling brightly and nodding my head along. I love this song. It was American Idiot by Green Day. Michael began singing.

Don't wanna be an American idiot.
Don't want a nation under the new mania
And can you hear the sound of hysteria?
The subliminal mind fuck America.

They won't censor anything out. Great. I looked at Mr. Brown and saw him looking at them with a look of disapproval and I chuckled. Now Luke started singing.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.

All across the alienation.
Where everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

I was shocked. Luke could really sing. And Michael could sing also. Who knew? They were jumping around on the stage, really enjoying themselves. I smiled brightly while looking at them. It's like they just belonged there.

Well, maybe I'm the faggot America.
I'm not a part of a redneck agenda.
Now everybody do the propaganda.
And sing along to the age of paranoia.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alienation.
Where everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Calum can also sing?! What the... Why didn't they tell me? I noticed Ashton didn't sing as much as the rest, but I'm pretty sure he can sing also. There was a drum solo here, and Ashton nailed it. It was awesome

Don't want to be an American idiot.
One nation controlled by the media.
Information age of hysteria.
It's calling out to idiot America.

They all sung together and it sounded reaaaaly good. Gosh.

Welcome to a new kind of tension.
All across the alienation.
Where everything isn't meant to be okay.
Television dreams of tomorrow.
We're not the ones who're meant to follow.
For that's enough to argue.

Wow. Just wow. It was silent for a while and then I stood up, clapping loudly. Anna stood next to me, cheering also. And further nobody did something. Whatever. This was more than amazing. This was just.... Wow. Epic. Ashton came from behind the drums and Luke, Michael and Calum unplugged their guitars and bass before sitting down again. "That was amazing." Anna said to them. "I didn't know you guys could sing!" I said and Michael chuckled. "Surprise?" He said and I shook my head while smiling.